How many Bible studies does it take before brainwashing sets in?

by hubert 27 Replies latest jw friends

  • inquirer
    inquirer

    JH





    Help!


    _____

    LOL! LOL!

    I had a good laugh tonight! Let me tell ya! :)

  • hubert
    hubert

    Wow, people, I thought this was a slow process! Boy, was I wrong!

    Thanks for all the info on this. Keep them coming.

    This brings another question to mind.....

    How does the brainwashing compare with Mormon studies?

    I may write another post on this. I would like to compare these two cults, to see if the brainwashing techniques are similar.

    Any ex-Mormons out there to help me with this one? Or does anyone else know?

    Thanks...Hubert

  • iiz2cool
    iiz2cool

    JH

    My brainwashing has re-started.... An elder comes once a week to study a book with me. I've been inactive since over 10 years, and I went to the memorial, and a few other meetings, and now once a week, and elder comes over for a study. They come out with so many bible verses, and it doesn't take long to get re-programmed.

    Help!

    Since you recognize this, why are you doing it? Walter

  • cheeseman
    cheeseman

    I was brainwashed before I even had a book study. They had placed the Live Forever book first, I was entraced after the first couple of chapters. Then they gave me the Creation/Evolution book which was effective in eroding my remaining faith in science. When the book study came my eyes were already glazed over...like taking candy from a baby. I never was very bright!

  • JH
    JH

    Walter,

    I like seeing all angles to everything....

    I'm letting them give their best shot, then I'll decide if I fade away again.

    I also want to see the changes they made during all those years I've been gone.

    I even find this experience interesting.

    I'm a Spiritual dirtyt Rat

  • itsallgoodnow
    itsallgoodnow

    All their bible study books start with the happy stuff and towards the end move on to armageddon. By that time, you already "know enough about Jehovah" and might buy into the idea that you now have enough "accurate knowledge" to be destroyed at Armageddon if you don't repent, start preaching, attend meetings and get baptized.

    That routine has worked well for them, but fortunately more people are avoiding that trap with the help of the internet and concerned families who have better information on how to help them stay out of it.

    How many people would they get if Chapter 1 was about Armageddon and who wouldn't make it through? Haha!

    And, the paragraph/answer format weeds out anyone who wouldn't want to parrot back an answer to them obediently. If you make it to the Armageddon part, by then you are accustomed to parroting and agreeing without question, and you are a good candidate for cult membership.

    I'm not sure if it's brainwashing, maybe it is, mostly it's just refusing to think critically. It's laziness combined with a pessimistic world view. They will always get some converts, I think. Even with the internet, but not as easily as before.

  • freedom96
    freedom96

    It depends on the emotional standing of the person studying. Why are they studying? What is going on in their life right now?

    I know a guy who in his 20's decided to be a witness, bought into all of it immediately. Really didn't question a thing about it. He 30 years later started to think about what was going on, especially spending most of his time an elder. He now is out.

    Another person I knew fought each and every subject the WTS teaches. Everything. She also eventually became a witness, though she is mostly inactive now. But she still thinks it is the truth.

  • Deputy Dog
    Deputy Dog

    hubert

    This is realy simple. It sets in as soon as you by the lie that the org. speaks for God. At this point the org. can say anything and you a must believe it. This is where the thinking stops.

    D Dog

  • Doubtfully Yours
    Doubtfully Yours

    Starts from the minute a person pays attention to them at the door. It only progresses from there.

    DY

  • IT Support
    IT Support

    I think itsallgoodnow has it right.

    The brainwashing began even before the Bible study started, while the JW's still giving you their 'sermon' and reading Rev 21, and the 'hook' is paradise.

    As soon as you start thinking, "It would be really nice if it was true," they've got you. Thereafter, your critical thinking is on hold, you WANT it to be true, so you ignore any doubts you may have had and convince yourself it MUST be true.

    After all, look at this neatly dressed, very sincere JW with the nice books with pretty pictures of lions and lambs and baskets of fruit and picnics and a beautiful garden with a lake at the bottom and lots of quotations from the Bible and they're not asking for any money...

    After that you're putty in their hands. You've forgotten the old saying: i f it seems too good to be true, it is too good to be true.

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